Unappreciated
by Mischief-555
Summary: When Nick unintentionally hurts Greg's feelings, Greg's girlfriend tries to mediate. But what happens when things blow up in her face, and harsh words are exchanged?
1. Just Between Us

**Unappreciated**  
By  
Mischief_555  
AKA Eric Szmanda Fan

  
**DISCLAIMER:** I own Maggie Grissom and the plot. Everyone else belongs to Zuiker and his buddies.  
  
**FEEDBACK:** I accept constructive criticism only. Flamers can flame me all they want. I'm not listening to them. In fact, they mean nothing to me.  
  
**SPOILERS:** Only if you haven't watched season two of "CSI."  
  


* * *

**Chapter One  
Just Between Us**

  
Greg was exhausted by the time he finally managed to take a break from the scuba case. And to him, there was only one thing that could cure exhaustion, even if it was only temporarily.  
  
Coffee! With sugar! **LOTS** of sugar!  
  
He was in the middle of pouring a cup of his special blend when Catherine Willows approached.  
  
"Hey! Coffee boy! Where's my D.N.A.? Cigarette butt. Match book. Time delay device. Hair spray. Any of these sound familiar?" Willows asked, full of attitude.  
  
"Bags under the eyes. Coffee cup. Stressed face. Any of these sound familiar?" Greg snapped. Who did this woman think she was?  
  
Catherine gave him an irritated look, so Greg relented. He knew better than to give Catherine attitude while she was working on a case.  
  
"I'm working on it."  
  
"Did Grissom put his stuff in front of mine?"  
  
Greg shook his head. "No. I'm working on **your** case. With Nick." He held out the coffee pot when Catherine's attitude worsened. "Coffee? I'll let you try some of my special blend."  
  
Catherine simply huffed, spun around on her heels, and stormed out of the room.  
  
"You're welcome!" Greg shouted.  
  


* * *

  
  
Catherine stormed down the hallway, fuming. It was one thing when she had thought that Sanders had put Grissom's case in front of the scuba case. It was completely different when Cat had learned that Nick had decided to bring the lab tech into the case without asking her permission.  
  
Catherine entered the area she and Nick and deemed the Scuba Room and found Stokes working on a piece of equipment.  
  
"I just talked with your partner. Working this case without me, huh?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Greg Sanders?"  
  
Nick scoffed. "Le'go my Greggo. He's a C.S.I. wannabe. Please."  
  
Stokes would have immediately regretted saying that, had he noticed Greg standing in the doorframe, a hurt expression on his face.  
  


* * *

  
  
Maggie was worried. This was a feeling she was used to, given the fact that her father often worked on dangerous cases. But this time, it was different. Because this time, she was worried about the man she happened to be dating.  
  
Greg had been acting strangely ever since he had returned from his "mission" to obtain a cup of coffee. Maggie had brought up the fact that Greg had told her that he'd be working on the scuba case with Nick. He simply shrugged, saying, "Changed my mind." Then, when Maggie decided to pry a little further, Greg shot her a look - a very annoyed look - then sat at his usual station and sifted through the large pile of paperwork in front of him.  
  
They had remained silent for several moments before Maggie decided to see what was wrong. She straddled her swivel chair and faced Greg. "All right, Sanders. What's wrong?"  
  
"Huh?" Greg asked, still absorbed in his work.  
  
"Well, you're being quiet."  
  
"I'm working," Sanders replied, his voice even.  
  
"I can see that. But you haven't even played that awful, loud music yet."  
  
"Just don't feel like it."  
  
Maggie stared at Greg intensely. Something was wrong, and she was determined to find out what it was. "C'mon, Greg. Just between us? You're no fun when you're upset."  
  
Greg huffed and spun his chair around, facing his assistant. "Let me ask you something. Do you think I'm a C.S.I. wannabe?"  
  
"What?" "Do you?" "Greg, when you really think about it, every lab tech in this building is a C.S.I. wannabe. You're acting like that's a bad thing."  
  
Greg turned away, muttering, "You wouldn't understand."  
  
"What?" Maggie inquired, pulling herself toawrd Greg. She folded her hands in front of her and rested her chin on them. "Who called you that?"  
  
Sanders' jaw tightened. "Nick."  
  
"Nick?!"  
  
"That's what I said."  
  
Maggie shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe he'd say that."  
  
"Yeah. Well, he did. End of discussion. Let's go back to work." He looked at her and noticed that she was chewing on her bottom lip. "What're you thinking?"  
  
"I'm thinking...I could use something to eat." She stood and looked down at Greg. "Want anything?" Greg shook his head. "Well, all right, then. See ya."  
  
"See ya."  
  


* * *

Maggie was seething when she entered the Lounge. In fact, she was so angry, she almost ran over Nick, who was exiting the room with a hot cup of coffee.  
  
"Hey!" Nick protested.  
  
Maggie didn't apologize. She merely opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a bottle of Snapple. Kiwi-Strawberry, her favorite. She shook it violently as she approached the couch and sat down.  
  
"Okay. What's wrong?" Nick asked, sipping his coffee. Maggie gave him an evil look as she continued to shake the bottle. "Uh-oh. Sanders giving you a hard time again?" Stokes asked, sitting across from Maggie, who opened the bottle and took a sip. "I'l take that as a no."  
  
"So, Sanders is a C.S.I. wannabe, huh?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
Maggie scoffed. "You don't remember calling him that?"  
  
Nick thought for a few moments. "Yeah. I called him that. No big deal."  
  
"No big deal?! Nick, he **heard** you."  
  
Stokes' face fell. "Oh."  
  
"Damn right, 'Oh.' I can't believe you'd say that, Nick. You're supposed to be his best friend."  
  
"I **am**!"  
  
"Then why would you say that?"  
  
"I was kidding!"  
  
"Maybe you were, but you should have considered Greg's feelings before you opened your big mouth!" Maggie snapped.  
  
Nick waved his hands around defensively. "Whoa, whoa, **whoa**! I know you feel you have to defend Greg, but don't make something out of nothing."  
  
"It may be nothing to you, Stokes, but you hurt him when you said that. He was really excited about working with you. He has all this knowledge when it comes to scuba diving, and you took it for granted. You are taking **him** for granted."  
  
Nick opened his mouth to protest, but he was cut off. "You C.S.I.s are so arrogant. You think that you're the only ones who solve crimes. Well, you're not. You know what the sad thing is, Nick? All I've ever wanted to be was a C.S.I., just like my father. But let me tell you something, Stokes. If being a C.S.I. means that you think you have the right to put other people down, just because they don't gather evidence, I don't want to be a C.S.I."  
  
Nick sighed, realizing just how much he had hurt Sanders. "Where is he?"  
  
"In the lab."  
  
"I'll talk to him," Nick said, standing.  
  
"If I were you, I'd think of a really good apology. If not for him, then for me. It's no fun working with him when he's like this, and you don't have to be cooped up in a room with him for hours on end."  
  
Standing in the doorframe, Nick said, "He's lucky, you know. To have someone like you."  
  
Maggie faced Nick and smiled. "Flattery will get you nowhere."  
  


* * *

  
  
Maggie waited fifteen minutes, hoping that when she returned to the lab, everything would be normal again.  
  
That, however, was not to be.  
  
When she entered the lab, Maggie found Greg leaning on the table, his arms crossed. She had thought about back-pedaling her way out of there, but she really wanted to hear what he had to say.  
  
"Did Nick talk to you?" she asked, shyly.  
  
Greg nodded. "He did. He apologized. One question, though. What does, 'Just between us' mean to you?"  
  
"I'm sorry! I just wanted to help."  
  
"Next time, mind your own business."  
  
Maggie glared at him, trying to control her anger. Greg was lashing out at her, and she really wanted to avoid a fight. Keeping her voice calm, she said, "And what? Let you mope around, feeling sorry for yourself? I'm sorry, Greg, but I can't do that."  
  
"Why not? You were able to do that before we started dating!"  
  
"Because I care about you, Greg. Because whenever I see you like this, I..."  
  
"You what?" Greg challenged.  
  
Maggie looked down, avoiding his eyes. "Nevermind."  
  
"Look, from now on, just mind your own business. I can take care of myself," Greg said, turning away.  
  
"Fine. No problem. You know why, Greg? Because we're through. If you can't appreciate what I tried to do for you, then I don't think we should be involved. In fact, I'm beginning to wonder if we should even work together!"  
  
She stared at Greg's back for a few moments, waiting for a reaction.  
  
Waiting for him to beg her to reconsider.  
  
Instead, she was greeted with silence. 


	2. Inconsolable

**Chapter Two  
Inconsolable**

  
Catherine entered the ladies' room and looked under the first stall door. Seeing that the stall was not occupied, she opened the door and started to step inside. However, a noise caught her attention.  
  
_Is someone crying?_ she thought. She followed the noise to the stall at the end. She looked under the door and saw someone sitting on the tiled floor.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Who is it?" Maggie's voice was shaky.  
  
"Willows."  
  
"Go away."  
  
"No. Not until you tell me what's wrong."  
  
"I'm all right."  
  
"No, you're not. You've locked yourself in a bathroom stall, and you're sitting on the floor. You've obviously been crying, so I'm not leaving until I get some answers!"  
  
"Well, you might as well live here, because nothing's wrong." Catherine could tell Maggie was trying to be brave.  
  
"All right. Fine," Willows said, frustrated. She waited a few moments, then began to walk away. She stopped when she heard the lock slide open.  
  
Maggie opened the door slightly and peered out. "You still there?"  
  
"Of course. You gonna come out, or am I going to have to drag you out?"  
  
"I don't want you to see me like this."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Catherine pushed the door open. What she saw made her heart break.  
  
Maggie was sitting on the floor with her knees drawn up to her chest.  
  
Willows sat next to the younger woman and stared at her, waiting for an explanation.  
  
Seeing Willow's expression, Maggie sighed. "Long story, short? Greg and I broke up."  
  
"Oh, Maggie." Catherine wrapped an arm around Maggie's shoulders. "Does this have something to do with what happened earlier?"  
  
Maggie nodded and looked at the floor. "I told Nick that Greg was upset. Nick apologized, and Greg blew up at me. He basically said that he couldn't trust me. I told him that it didn't matter, because we were through." She looked up at Catherine, green eyes filled with tears. "I was only trying to help!"  
  
Catherine squeezed Maggie's shoulder. "I know, sweetie. I know." Maggie collapsed into Willows, burying her face in her shoulder. Catherine rubbed Maggie's arm soothingly. "It'll be okay. He'll come around."  
  
"What if he doesn't? I don't know if I'll..." Maggie said, her voice muffled. "I love him," she admitted.  
  
Catherine smiled. She knew it all along. "I know." She reached over, tore off some tissue, and wiped away Maggie's tears. "We'll figure something out."  
  


* * *

  
  
Sanders stared blankly into space as Nick tried to hand him a mug.  
  
"Coffee?" Greg only shook his head. "You sure? It's your special blend."  
  
"No, thanks."  
  
Nick set the cup on the table in front of Greg. "I'll leave it here, just in case."  
  
Stokes smiled when Greg seemed to reach for the coffee, then frowned when Sanders knocked it off the table. The mug crashed to the floor, spilling coffee on the linoleum.  
  
"No...thanks," Greg repeated.  
  
"Don't worry. I'll get it," Nick said, smiling. He approached the counter and obtained a roll of paper towels and a waste basket, then knelt down to clean up the mess.  
  
Nick was in the middle of picking up the shattered ceramic when Greg spoke up. "She hates me."  
  
Nick paused for a few seconds, then threw the mug's remains in the trash. He tore off two pieces of paper towel and covered the spilled coffee.  
  
"She doesn't hate you. She loves you."  
  
Greg shook his head. "You didn't hear the things she said. And who can blame her?"  
  
"She was angry." Nick set the roll of paper towels on the table and stood. Sitting next to Greg on the couch, he said, "You know how she can be."  
  
Greg laughed briefly. "Yeah. She can be pretty temperamental." He sobered. "She's never going to forgive me."  
  
"Sure, she will. Just give her time. Once she goes through the process, things'll be normal again."  
  
Greg furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "Process?"  
  
"Yeah." Stokes repositioned himself so that he was facing his friend. "Look, here's how it'll go. She'll spend a few minutes hating you and cursing your name."  
  
"So far? Not liking the process."  
  
"It gets better. Next, she'll spend a few hours crying her eyes out. Then, she'll call some of her friends -- probably Sara and Mandy -- who will bring her her favorite comfort food." Nick smiled. "You know what that is, don't you?"  
  
"Ice cream. Peanut Butter and Chocolate. Go on."  
  
"The next part is the best part. After Sara and Mandy offer their words of wisdom -- and after the girls spend four hours crying over sappy movies -- she'll call you. You'll make up, and boom! You're a couple again."  
  
Greg raised an eyebrow. "Really? You think so?"  
  
"I know so."  
  
Greg nodded. "Okay. So...what do I do now?"  
  
"Wait. Give her some space."  
  
"Well, that's going to be hard, seeing as we work together."  
  
"Good point."  
  


* * *

  
  
"Oh! That's so sweet!"  
  
"I can't believe he did that!"  
  
"Pass the popcorn."  
  
Maggie sighed and handed the bowl to Sara. "Here."  
  
After learning that Greg and Maggie had broken up -- which didn't take long, considering the fact that news travelled fast in the Lounge -- Mandy and Sara had announced that they would help Maggie through the process of recovering. Maggie had told them that she'd be fine, but her friends had insisted.  
  
And they'd stayed true to their promise. Two hours after Maggie returned to her apartment, Sara and Mandy showed up. They had retreated to Mandy's room and had taken part in a tradition that never failed when it came curing post-break up depression.  
  
They cried over sappy movies and pigged out on junk food.  
  
"That is just so...romantic," Mandy gushed.  
  
They were watching Titanic, which had reached the part where Jack sacrificed himself to save Rose.  
  
"That's not romantic! That's stupid! He could have at least found something for **him** to float on!" Sara argued.  
  
"Oh, come on! You don't think it's romantic?"  
  
"It's unreal! No man would ever do that."  
  
Mandy shook her head. "Whatever."  
  
Sara looked at Maggie, who was sitting between her best friends on the bed. "What do you think, Maggie?"  
  
"Huh? What?" Maggie snapped out of her trance.  
  
"Thinking about Greg?"  
  
Maggie nodded. "Yeah," she said quietly.  
  
"Wanna talk?" Mandy asked.  
  
"There's nothing left to say. We fought. We broke up. He hates me. Let's move on."  
  
Sara turned off the TV and VCR. "He doesn't hate you."  
  
"Yeah. He loves you," Mandy added. "I heard him tell Warrick how much he cares about you." Sara shot her a look, making Mandy cringe. "I wasn't eavesdropping. I was in the Lounge. You tend to hear things while you're pouring coffee. Anyway, Maggie, he does love you."  
  
"I don't see how he could. I mean, the things I said..."  
  
"Greg may be many things, Maggie, but he's not a bad guy. Just give him time. He'll come around," Sara advised.  
  
"I hope so, because I don't know how much more of this I can take." 


	3. Office Romances

**Chapter Three  
Office Romances**

  
Maggie gazed up at the forensics building and bit her bottom lip. She dreaded entering that building, and had even considered calling in sick. She had been an emotional train wreck the night before, and she did not look forward to doing anything that would put her in contact with the cause of her sorrow.  
  
No matter **how** irresistable he was.  
  
After seriously considering playing sick, Maggie realized that that wouldn't work. Her father would only become suspicious. That was the trouble with having a C.S.I. as a relative. They were always suspicious.  
  
And they were usually right.  
  
Not to mention the fact that playing hookey would only cause Catherine and the others to feel sorry for Maggie, and the young lab tech valued her pride too much to let that happen.  
  
Maggie also had to admit that she was looking forward to seeing Greg, even if she was incredibly angry at him. She was curious to see how he would react when she entered the D.N.A. lab with her head held high. Would he be baffled? Hurt? Angry? Would he embrace her in a warm hug and apologize for the cruel things he'd said to her? Would he beg her to take him back?  
  
That was another question Maggie wanted an answer to. Would she take him back?  
  
To tell the truth, she was still recovering from their last fight. Did she want to reunite with someone who would hurt her that badly?  
  
Then again, she missed Greg. She missed the way he'd smile at her when he was telling her about his latest forensic discovery. The way he could cause her to go weak in the knees with just one look. She even missed their bickering sessions.  
  
Life just wasn't the same without Greg Sanders.  
  


* * *

  
  
Catherine's heart sank when she saw the person standing near the window of the D.N.A. lab.  
  
"How long have you been standing there?" she asked Maggie, placing a sympathetic hand on her shoulder.  
  
Maggie shrugged. "Ten, fifteen minutes."  
  
"How are you doing?" Willows closed her eyes, realizing just how stupid that question was, when the answer was so obvious.  
  
Looking at Catherine, Maggie responded, "Honestly? I feel like I've been torn in two."  
  
"I know exactly how you feel. I cried for three days straight when my divorce was finalized." Catherine indicated Sanders with a nod of her head. "Have you managed to talk to him?"  
  
Maggie shook her head. "No. Every time I work up enough courage to enter that lab, I remember all the horrible things we said to each other."  
  
"He'll forgive you, you know."  
  
"I'm not worried about him forgiving me. The question is, will I be able to forgive him? I'm still angry, Catherine. I just can't understand why he would say those things."  
  
"He's frustrated, Maggie. He's like a wild animal that's been cornered. They tend to lash out at people without even thinking about the consequences. You want my advice?" Maggie nodded. "Talk to him. Lock that door, and argue. Don't leave until everything's settled."  
  
"You make it sound so simple."  
  
"Believe me, it's far from simple."  
  


* * *

  
  
After her conversation with Catherine, Maggie had finally convinced herself to enter the D.N.A. lab. She was not going to let her failed relationship affect her work, and she was determined to get through the day without thinking about Greg Sanders.  
  
They had sat in relative silence for several moments, only speaking to each other when they had to. The other lab techs were doing their best to avoid the feuding couple, which was not easy. Ellie, the red-haired technician with the glasses, had said something about going to the diner across the street for lunch, and the other two lab techs -- Andy and Marcus -- decided to join her.  
  
This left Greg and Maggie alone.  
  
Greg was the first to break the silence. "I missed you," he said, avoiding Maggie's eyes.  
  
Maggie smiled. "I missed you, too."  
  
Finally, some progress!  
  
"I waited for your call," Greg said.  
  
"Why did I have to call?"  
  
"Well, after a break-up, it's customary for the guilty party to contact the innocent party and apologize!"  
  
Maggie's eyes narrowed. "**I'm** the guilty party?"  
  
"That's what I said!"  
  
"But you're the one who started the fight!"  
  
"Because you betrayed my trust!" Greg said.  
  
"I was trying to help you. If I had known that you were going to be such a baby--"  
  
"**I'm** the baby?!"  
  
"If the lab coat fits!"  
  
Greg stood, his emotions boiling over. "You know, I can't believe I was even considering forgiving you! As far as I'm concerned, this relationship is definitely over!"  
  
It was Greg's turn to storm out of the room.  
  


* * *

  
  
Gil Grissom was surprised when entered the D.N.A. lab and found only Maggie. "Where's Sanders? I need you two to process this evidence."  
  
Maggie winced inwardly when her father mentioned Greg's name. "Don't know. Can rot in Hell for all I care."  
  
"Maggie?" Grissom asked, concerned.  
  
The young blonde looked up and smiled bravely. "I'm fine. Really. Whatcha got?"  
  
"Something that can wait. What's going on?" Gil inquired.  
  
Maggie sighed. "Greg and I broke up. We fought yesterday and this morning, and we broke up." Gil opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off. "And please, don't give me the famous 'office romances never last' speech. I really don't want to hear it."  
  
"You hungry?"  
  
Maggie thought for a second, then realized that she had had only a piece of toast for breakfast. "Yeah."  
  


* * *

  
  
Greg was furious. Not only had Maggie started another fight with him, but she had also managed to scare away the other lab techs, leaving Greg to do the dirty work.  
  
Greg was amazed by the fact that Maggie could annoy him, even when she wasn't in the room.  
  
"Lemme guess. You and Maggie had another fight?" Nick asked, sneaking up on his best friend.  
  
Greg jumped, startled. "Jeez!"  
  
"Sorry. So, where is the little harpy?"  
  
Greg felt the urge to defend Maggie, but he pushed that aside. "Don't know, and I honestly don't care."  
  
"You don't mean that."  
  
"Yes, I do. Gris was right. It was a bad idea for Maggie and I to get together. It's bad enough we have to work in the same room."  
  
"But I thought you two would've patched things up by now. I mean, the Process--"  
  
Nick was startled when Greg suddenly spun around on his heels, pointing a permanent marker at him. "You and your stupid Process!"  
  
"Huh? What?"  
  
"If it wasn't for your Process theory, Maggie and I would be sipping Merlot right now! But nooo. I **had** to listen to you!"  
  
"She didn't call?" Nick asked, utterly confused.  
  
"No! She didn't! In fact, **she** waited for **me** to call **her**!"  
  
"Whoa. Whoa. Volume! Volume!" When Greg seemed to calm down a bit, Nick asked, "Why **didn't** you call her?"  
  
"Because I didn't want to interfere with the stupid Process!" Greg replied.  
  
"Look, screw the Process, all right? You love her?"  
"Well, it's hard to love someone who's a pain in the--"  
  
"Just answer my question. Do you...love her?"  
  
Greg sighed. "Yes," he said, quietly.  
  
"Then tell her that, Greg. And if she doesn't listen -- which is very likely -- make her listen."  
  
"How?"  
  
Nick shrugged. "Dunno. You have to be the one to figure that out. But don't wait too long. I made that mistake once, and I've always regretted it."  
  
Greg nodded in understanding. "Kristy."  
  
"Kristy," Nick echoed. 


End file.
